Every single person in the world is different, and they all obtain information in different ways. Children are no exception to this. Some children learn better by actually doing things, others by seeing things done, and others are just sponges which can absorb and learn everything that they hear very easily. This could relate a lot to their culture and home life. Some cultures seem to be much more hands on than others and this could be an argument as to why some students learn better by jumping in and doing hands on activities. When a teacher tests his or her student’s they need to take all of these aspects into consideration so that every student has a fair opportunity to express their knowledge on the material that they have learned. Tests are not always the best route to take in order to do this.
Teachers need to understand that they have many different students in their class room who come from various ethnic and social backgrounds. Both of these things play a huge factor in learning and the way that an individual learns. Every person is unique and has their own way to learn things and a teacher needs to take all of this into consideration when he or she tests their students. What one person hears and understands, may be very confusing or difficult to another person.
Cultural rules and standards play a large role in education and this relates directly to Lisa Delpit. Parents in certain cultures may feel like they do not play any role in their child’s education, and the teacher may feel as if the parents should play a huge role. This difference can cause many communication and educational problems for the student, teacher, and parents. In order for a student to get the best education all three parties must be on the same page and have the same general ideas and views on the student’s education. Delpit is so closely related to this prompt because students from many different cultural backgrounds are being put in a school system where roles of parents and teachers are different than what they are used to. This can cause many problems in the student’s education if the differences are not settled or resolved.
Linguistic differences in the classroom are a huge mountain that each teacher needs to overcome. Language is the biggest barrier for children in the classroom. Many children are in English as a second language classrooms. This means that English is not the language they speak at home, but they are learning in primarily English at school. In order to be an effective and powerful teacher you need to recognize that the students need extra time and better explanation, because they are learning the material in a language that is newer to them, and is not their primary language. Teaching is a form of art in many ways. You need to shape and mold your lesson plan so that everyone is involved and has a fair opportunity to learn and understand the material.
The classroom I tutor in is an ESL classroom and every single student is learning with English as their second language. Some of the students are more proficient in English than others, but all of them put their best foot forward and care about their education. It is very interesting to wander around the classroom and hear the kids speak all different languages to each other. Sometimes it is strange because I cannot understand what they are saying, but besides that it is very interesting and amazing!
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Hey MJ,
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this post I find myself being very amazed at how the same prompts can relate to multiple theorists. I am about to write my next blog and was also planning on using Delpit. It really goes the show that what we are learning about in class can connect in many ways to not only our prompts but also our lives. I definitely agree that children learn in many different ways and across various times periods. I also agree that teachers need to commit to focusing in on each child in order to offer them the help they personally need. Along with the teachers, parent’s assistance with their child’s education is an important aspect that is not always as easy as it may appear. This chaotic world we are living in unfortunately allows schooling to seem concrete and unchangeable especially to parents who are working multiple jobs to make ends meet. Who are we to judge them? As teachers, we can only hope to affectively reach out to parents and cause them to become an active part of their child’s schooling.
Another important aspect to the way a child learns is the primary language they speak. I only hope that after years in college learning to teach I will be able to understand how to help those children who speak a language different from mine. As we learned, the best way for kids to learn is to allow them to understand their primary language adequately before teaching in the second language. My service learning classroom does not involve speaking any other language than English, though I am sure the children must speak differently at home. I find classrooms such as the one you are a part of extremely interesting and knowledgeable.
Loved reading this!!
Brianna
MJ makes solid connections to Lisa Delpit in this blog posting.(Other blogs are very well written also)When he speaks of how cultural rules and standards play a large role in education can also be tied to how Lisa Delpit talks of "the culture of power." In this case the parents who do not know what is expected of them by the teachers. The teachers, on the other hand, have a set of rules they assume the parents are aware of. The parents do not know the rules of the culture of power. Lisa Delpit also states that if the rules of power are clearly stated by those in power to new people entering the culture, it makes it much easier for the "newcomer" to participate.
ReplyDeleteWhere am I going with this? In one of my previous articles, I spoke about the creation of a parent-teacher association in schools that lack one. The school I am tutoring in does not have a PTA and they have some of the same issues that MJ talks about in his blog. The fact that parents from many ethnicities have varying opinions about their role in the eductation of their children. A PTA can act as the perfect link between teachers, parents and progress. A PTA can send home letters or e-mails (GO GREEN) to the parents on a more frequent basis than a teacher would be able to. A special group dedicated to making parent and teacher communication possible is a must in any school system.
Hi MJ,
ReplyDeleteI appreciated your observation that children have different learning needs and teachers need to be sensitive to these differences. The importance of seeing difference cannot be overestimated.
I wanted to respond also to your comment that some children are "sponges." I think this metaphor can be misleading. Although some children construct knowledge and meaning more quickly than others, no child "absorbs" knowledge. Learning is always active. That's why Shor's participatory argument is so vital.
Keep me posted,
Dr. August